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08.10.11

Christine O’Donnell Gets Punked

Just in time for her book’s release, the former Senate candidate’s Amazon page is the target of cyberpranksters—who won’t let shoppers forget the Tea Partier’s past comments about witches, masturbation, and abstinence.

Before you ask, yes, the majestically failed Delaware Senate candidate has written a book—or rather a Serious Policy Book, subtitled “Let’s Do What It Takes to Make America Great Again,” due out Tuesday, Aug. 16. But what catches the eye on her Amazon page are the other products recommended for those interested in O’Donnell’s book.

What’s going on? It looks like O’Donnell has been the victim of cybervandalism. Amazon said the recommended products are user generated, much like reader reviews. The company doesn’t make a habit of policing them except to ensure they meet the site’s basic terms and conditions—avoiding profanity or promoting illegal behavior. It doesn’t appear the products that have been tagged cross that line, but it would be up to customers to complain. A spokeswoman said she didn’t have any information on whether similar acts of sabotage were common, and a request for O’Donnell’s comment, submitted through her book’s publisher, was not immediately returned.

O’Donnell is hardly the first politician to fall prey to cybervandalism. In fact, her case is far milder than the infamous Google bomb that Dan Savage unleashed on Rick Santorum. In that case, the gay sex-advice columnist launched a campaign to attach an extremely unflattering scatological meaning to the then-Pennsylvania senator’s name in retaliation for his likening of gay sex to bestiality. The label stuck, and a search for “santorum” delivers the neologism first. A recent string of attacks by hackers—most notable Lulz Security—has defaced Web pages belonging to media outlets, government agencies, and corporations in addition to stealing proprietary information, passwords, and the like. And Sarah Palin had her email hacked by a Tennessee college student who was sent to jail for his misdeeds.

O’Donnell is hardly the first politician to fall prey to cybervandalism. In fact, her case is far milder than the infamous Google bomb that Dan Savage unleashed on Rick Santorum. And Sarah Palin had her email hacked by a Tennessee college student.

In this case, it’s impossible to determine who the culprits are or what their motivation is, although “mocking Christine O’Donnell” seems like a pretty safe bet. Luckily for them, their victim can’t cast any nasty spells on her persecutors. On the other hand, some cybervandalism sure beats earlier penalties for suspected witches.